'Half-cut' science:A qualitative examination of alcohol industry actors' use of peer-reviewed evidence in policy submissions on Minimum Unit Pricing

Aim: To assess the extent to which alcohol industry actors cited evidence in submissions to the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee’s 2011 call for written evidence on the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill and to compare any citations of peer-reviewed evidence to original sources. Methods: All submissions to the consultation (n=128) were manually searched to identify those written by alcohol industry actors (n=25). The reference lists of all the alcohol industry submissions were reviewed and peer-reviewed sources were retrieved, read and assessed against their in-text citation within the alcohol industry submissions. Results: Although most industry submissions cited evidence of some sort, only 7 (28%) cited peer-reviewed evidence. Comparing the total number of citations to peer-reviewed evidence (n=17) to original sources demonstrates that 82% were questionably cited. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that the majority of references to peer-reviewed evidence in this sample of alcohol industry policy submissions were misleading with examples of citations being presented as supportive of arguments that the original evidence source specifically argued against. This suggests that even the depiction of peer-reviewed evidence within alcohol industry policy submissions needs to be treated with caution

Cold Plasma Inactivation of Internalised Bacteria and Biofilms for Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium, Listeria Monocytogenes and Escherichia Coli

Microbial biofilms and bacteria internalised in produce tissue may reduce the effectiveness of decontamination methods. In this study, the inactivation efficacy of in-package atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) afterglow was investigated against Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli in the forms of planktonic cultures, biofilms formed on lettuce and associated bacteria internalised in lettuce tissue. Prepared lettuce broth (3%) was inoculated with bacteria resulting in a final concentration of ~ 7.0 log10 CFU/ml. For biofilm formation and internalisation, lettuce pieces (5 × 5 cm) were dip-inoculated in bacterial suspension of ~ 7.0 log10 CFU/ml for 2 h and further incubated for 0, 24 and 48 h at either 4 °C or room temperature (~ 22 °C) in combination with light/dark photoperiod or at 4 °C under dark conditions. Inoculated samples were sealed inside a rigid polypropylene container and indirectly exposed (i.e. placed outside plasma discharge) to a high voltage (80 kVRMS) air ACP with subsequent storage for 24 h at 4 °C. ACP treatment for 30 s reduced planktonic populations of Salmonella, L. monocytogenes and E. coli suspended in lettuce broth to undetectable levels. Depending on storage conditions, bacterial type and age of biofilm, 300 s of treatment resulted in reduction of biofilm populations on lettuce by a maximum of 5 log10 CFU/sample. Scanning electron and confocal laser microscopy pointed to the incidence of bacterial internalisation and biofilm formation, which influenced the inactivation efficacy of ACP. Measured intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) revealed that the presence of organic matter in the bacterial suspension might present a protective effect against the action of ROS on bacterial cells. This study demonstrated that high voltage in-package ACP could be a potential technology to overcome bacterial challenges associated with food produce. However, the existence of biofilms and internalised bacteria should be considered for further optimisation of ACP treatment parameters in order to achieve an effective control of the realistic challenges posed by foodborne pathogens

Atmospheric Cold Plasma Inactivation of Escherichia Coli, Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium and Listeria Monocytogenes Inoculated on Fresh Produce

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) represents a potential alternative to traditional methods for non-thermal decontamination of foods. In this study, the antimicrobial efficacy of a novel dielectric barrier discharge ACP device against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated on cherry tomatoes and strawberries, was examined. Bacteria were spot inoculated on the produce surface, air dried and sealed inside a rigid polypropylene container. Samples were indirectly exposed (i.e. placed outside plasma discharge) to a high voltage (70kVRMS) air ACP and subsequently stored at room temperature for 24 h. ACP treatment for 10, 60 and 120 s resulted in reduction of Salmonella, E. coli and L. monocytogenes populations on tomato to undetectable levels from initial populations of 3.1, 6.3, and 6.7 log10 CFU/sample, respectively. However, an extended ACP treatment time was necessary to reduce bacterial populations attached on the more complex surface of strawberries. Treatment time for 300 s resulted in reduction of E. coli, Salmonella and L. monocytogenes populations by 3.5, 3.8 and 4.2 log10 CFU/sample, respectively, and also effectively reduced the background microflora of tomatoes

Atmospheric Cold Plasma Inactivation of Escherichia Coli in Liquid Media Inside a Sealed Package

Abstract Aims: The main objective of this study was to determine the inactivation efficacy of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) generated inside a sealed package for Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. Methods and Results: A plasma discharge was generated between two circular aluminium electrodes at 40 kV. E. coli suspensions (10^7 CFU/ml) in either maximum recovery diluent (MRD) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) were treated in a 96-well microtitre plate inside a sealed package. The effects of treatment time, post-treatment storage time, either direct or indirect samples exposure to the plasma discharge and suspension media were studied. Regardless of the media tested, 20 s of direct and 45 s of indirect plasma treatment resulted in complete bacterial inactivation (7 log CFU/ml). At the lower plasma treatment times (10–30 s) investigated, the effects of suspension media and mode of exposure on the inactivation efficacy were evident. The inactivation efficacy was also influenced by the post-treatment storage time. Conclusions: It was demonstrated that the novel DBD-ACP can inactivate high concentrations of E. coli suspended in liquids within sealed packages in seconds. Significance and impact of the Study: A key advantage of this in-package nonthermal novel disinfection approach is the elimination of post-processing contamination

The Potential of Cold Plasma for Safe and Sustainable Food Production

In-package decontamination of foods using cold plasma has advanced this technology as a unit process for fresh foods decontamination and shelf-life extension. Chemical residues of agricultural pesticides of varying structure can be degraded to safe or less-toxic structures using cold plasma. Cold-plasma-mediated control of contaminants, along with the promotion of seed germination and plant growth, offers alternatives to current pesticides and fertilizers for agriculture. Controlling plasma reactive species formulations in dry and liquid delivery formats advances the potential for understanding and successful translation to multiple points along the agriculture and food sectors. Employing predictive microbiology, process optimization tools and a systems approach with controlled reactive species formulations may achieve risk- or problem-tailored solutions for whole food systems. Cold plasma science and technology is increasingly investigated for translation to a plethora of issues in the agriculture and food sectors. The diversity of the mechanisms of action of cold plasma, and the flexibility as a standalone technology or one that can integrate with other technologies, provide a rich resource for driving innovative solutions. The emerging understanding of the longer-term role of cold plasma reactive species and follow-on effects across a range of systems will suggest how cold plasma may be optimally applied to biological systems in the agricultural and food sectors. Here we present the current status, emerging issues, regulatory context, and opportunities of cold plasma with respect to the broad stages of primary and secondary food production

Investigation of mechanisms involved in germination enhancement of wheat (Triticum aestivum) by cold plasma: Effects on seed surface chemistry and characteristics

Recent reports indicate that atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) treatment of seeds can enhance their germination, however, the mechanisms of action are not yet entirely clear. In the present work, we report on the effects of plasma treatment on wheat seed germination and seedling growth. Additionally, changes in the surface chemistry and characteristics of the wheat seeds exposed to plasma were investigated. Treatments of 30–60 s significantly enhanced the germination rate and showed positive effects on seedling growth. ACP resulted in changes of seed surface and chemical characteristics including water uptake and contact angle values. Changes in seed pH and total titratable acidity, as well as nitrites, nitrates, and malondialdehyde concentrations were also recorded

The potential of atmospheric air cold plasma for control of bacterial contaminants relevant to cereal grain production

The aim of this work was to investigate the efficacy of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD ACP) against bacteria associated with grains quality and safety. ACP inactivation efficacy was tested against biofilms formed by different strains of E. coli, Bacillus and Lactobacillus in grain model media and against B. atrophaeus endospores either in grain media or attached on abiotic surfaces. Effects were dependent on bacterial strain, media composition and mode of ACP exposure. ACP treatment for 5min reduced E. coli spp., B. subtilis and Lactobacillus spp. biofilms by \u3e3 log10, whereas insignificant reductions were achieved for B. atrophaeus. ACP treatment of 5–20min reduced B. atrophaeus spores in liquids by \u3e5 log10. Treatment for 30min reduced spores on hydrophobic surface by \u3e6 log10, whereas maximum of 4.4 log reductions were achieved with spores attached to hydrophilic surface. Microscopy demonstrated that ACP caused significant damage to spores. In package ACP treatment has potential to inactivate grain contaminants in the form of biofilms, as well as spores and vegetative cells. Industrial relevance This study demonstrates that ACP technology is a promising tool for effective bio-decontamination which offers a wide range of possible applications including inactivation of microorganisms on cereal grains. However, due to the nature of the microbial contamination of grains and complex grain structures it may be necessary to optimise the potential for surface inactivation at several stages of grain processing and storage to enhance ACP efficacy against bacterial endospores

High voltage atmospheric cold air plasma control of bacterial biofilms on fresh produce

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) offers great potential for decontamination of food borne pathogens. This study examined the antimicrobial efficacy of ACP against a range of pathogens of concern to fresh produce comparing planktonic cultures, monoculture biofilms (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas fluorescens) and mixed culture biofilms (Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas fluorescens). Biotic and abiotic surfaces commonly occurring in the fresh food industry were investigated. Microorganisms showed varying susceptibility to ACP treatment depending on target and process factors. Bacterial biofilm populations treated with high voltage (80 kV) ACP were reduced significantly (p \u3c 0.05) in both mono- and mixed species biofilms after 60 s of treatment and yielded non-detectable levels after extending treatment time to 120 s. However, an extended time was required to reduce the challenge mixed culture biofilm of L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens inoculated on lettuce, which was dependent on biofilm formation conditions and substrate. Contained treatment for 120 s reduced L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens inoculated as mixed cultures on lettuce (p \u3c 0.05) by 2.2 and 4.2 Log10 CFU/ml respectively. When biofilms were grown at 4 °C on lettuce, there was an increased resistance to ACP treatment by comparison with biofilm grown at temperature abuse conditions of 15 °C. Similarly, L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens exposed to cold stress (4 °C) for 1 h demonstrated increased tolerance to ACP treatment compared to non-stressed cells. These finding demonstrates that bacterial form, mono versus mixed challenges as well as environmental stress conditions play an important role in ACP inactivation efficacy

'Half-cut' science : a qualitative examination of alcohol industry actors' use of peer-reviewed evidence in policy submissions on Minimum Unit Pricing

Aim: To assess the extent to which alcohol industry actors cited evidence in submissions to the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee’s 2011 call for written evidence on the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill and to compare any citations of peer-reviewed evidence to original sources. Methods: All submissions to the consultation (n=128) were manually searched to identify those written by alcohol industry actors (n=25). The reference lists of all the alcohol industry submissions were reviewed and peer-reviewed sources were retrieved, read and assessed against their in-text citation within the alcohol industry submissions. Results: Although most industry submissions cited evidence of some sort, only 7 (28%) cited peer-reviewed evidence. Comparing the total number of citations to peer-reviewed evidence (n=17) to original sources demonstrates that 82% were questionably cited. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that the majority of references to peer-reviewed evidence in this sample of alcohol industry policy submissions were misleading with examples of citations being presented as supportive of arguments that the original evidence source specifically argued against. This suggests that even the depiction of peer-reviewed evidence within alcohol industry policy submissions needs to be treated with caution

Identification of microRNAs expressed in two mosquito vectors, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression in a variety of organisms, including insects, vertebrates, and plants. miRNAs play important roles in cell development and differentiation as well as in the cellular response to stress and infection. To date, there are limited reports of miRNA identification in mosquitoes, insects that act as essential vectors for the transmission of many human pathogens, including flaviviruses. West Nile virus (WNV) and dengue virus, members of the <it>Flaviviridae </it>family, are primarily transmitted by <it>Aedes </it>and <it>Culex </it>mosquitoes. Using high-throughput deep sequencing, we examined the miRNA repertoire in <it>Ae. albopictus </it>cells and <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>mosquitoes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified a total of 65 miRNAs in the <it>Ae. albopictus </it>C7/10 cell line and 77 miRNAs in <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>mosquitoes, the majority of which are conserved in other insects such as <it>Drosophila melanogaster </it>and <it>Anopheles gambiae</it>. The most highly expressed miRNA in both mosquito species was miR-184, a miRNA conserved from insects to vertebrates. Several previously reported <it>Anopheles </it>miRNAs, including miR-1890 and miR-1891, were also found in <it>Culex </it>and <it>Aedes</it>, and appear to be restricted to mosquitoes. We identified seven novel miRNAs, arising from nine different precursors, in C7/10 cells and <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>mosquitoes, two of which have predicted orthologs in <it>An. gambiae</it>. Several of these novel miRNAs reside within a ~350 nt long cluster present in both <it>Aedes </it>and <it>Culex</it>. miRNA expression was confirmed by primer extension analysis. To determine whether flavivirus infection affects miRNA expression, we infected female <it>Culex </it>mosquitoes with WNV. Two miRNAs, miR-92 and miR-989, showed significant changes in expression levels following WNV infection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>Aedes </it>and <it>Culex </it>mosquitoes are important flavivirus vectors. Recent advances in both mosquito genomics and high-throughput sequencing technologies enabled us to interrogate the miRNA profile in these two species. Here, we provide evidence for over 60 conserved and seven novel mosquito miRNAs, expanding upon our current understanding of insect miRNAs. Undoubtedly, some of the miRNAs identified will have roles not only in mosquito development, but also in mediating viral infection in the mosquito host.</p